The thing is, there were baby killers, and that is not even controversial. Some of the blame for that inevitably spread out over some of those who weren't baby killers, and who did their best in terrible circumstances to do what they thought was right.

In the old South Africa there were decent cops and soldiers, and there were those who tortured and murdered. When the old regime fell, the new government set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, with the idea being that people who had done evil things (on both sides) could tell about what had happened, and receive amnesty, and it would be possible to understand where the responsibility for various things really lay.

This never happened for people who'd been involved in the Vietnam war one way and another, and it's a pity. The poison needs to be cleaned out of any wound befire it can really heal. Maybe it's not too late. (It needs to happen in Ireland as well, and I believe one way or another it probably will.)